LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Two bills introduced in Michigan’s House would bar doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or surgery for anyone under the age of 18 who wants to change their gender.

House bills 4539 and 4540 would make it a felony for providing puberty blockers or “genital gender reassignment surgery” to a minor. The offense would be punishable by up to four years in prison.

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Puberty blocking drugs suppress the main developmental hormones in youth. Essentially, puberty blockers suppress estrogen in developing girls and stunts testosterone in developing males.

The bills cover a variety of genital gender reassignment procedures which include a penectomy, vaginoplasty, clitoroplasty, hysterectomy, and phalloplasty.

Rep. Brad Paquette, Republican who represents Michigan’s 37th district, is the sponsor of the bill.

We went from worrying about children having coffee because it could “stunt their growth” to let’s deliberately stunt their natural growth with chemicals. #pubertyblockers

— Brad Paquette (@BradPaquette18) May 30, 2023

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is outspoken against these types of bills, which have been passed in a dozen states. The organization also emphasizes gender transition as a child using preferred pronouns, wearing opposite sex clothing, and changing their hairstyle.

The introduction of the bills come just before Pride month, a 30 day acknowledgement pushed by the LGBTQ community to celebrate the lifestyle that all the letters in their name represent. In a new twist in recent years, some events around the state will offer “family friendly” drag queen shows.